Whitter Daily News
written by Bethania Palma Markus, Staff Writer
Tuesday March 2, 2010 11:00:12 PM PST
WHITTIER - A former Whittier police officer was charged Tuesday with nine counts of child molestation, officials from the District Attorney's Office said.
Paul Ayala, 42, of Whittier, faces eight counts of lewd acts on a child and one count of oral copulation or sexual penetration of a child under age 10, said Jane Robison, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
The alleged victims are two 10-year-old boys who played on a youth football team Ayala coached, Robison said.
Ayala pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the charges, Robison said. Booking records show he is being held at Men's Central Jail in Los Angeles. Robison said his bail was set at $8.2 million.
A woman who answered the phone at Ayala's residence Tuesday hung up without commenting. A message left later on the answering machine wasn't returned.
Ayala's attorney, Sean McDonald, didn't return a phone call and e-mail seeking comment.
The charges stem from alleged incidents in 2008 and 2009, when Ayala coached the La Mirada Pop Warner League's La Mirada Matadores, said sheriff's Sgt. Dan Scott.
"He befriended (the boys) as the coach," Scott said. "He would take them over to his house before and after games and that's where the molestation occurred."
One child was allegedly molested between July and December 2008, the second during the same months in 2009, Scott said.
One of the children told a family member of the alleged incident, and the relative reported it to Whittier police last week, Scott said. Whittier police said they sent the case to the Sheriff's Department on Friday.
Ayala's booking slip shows he was arrested Friday and booked in Norwalk.
The charges were based on law enforcement's interviews with the alleged victims, Scott said. No physical evidence has been found.
"We're looking into all aspects of his life," Scott said. "We do a thorough background on everyone we investigate."
Whittier police Officer Mike Dekowski said the department deferred the case to the Sheriff's Department because of its sensitive nature.
Dekowski declined further comment, except to say Ayala was a 17-year veteran of Whittier's police force. Ayala retired for medical reasons on July 20, 2007.
Scott said the investigation continues.
"We believe based on our investigation that there are more victims out there," Scott said.
Ayala also coached baseball, Scott said.
He is listed on the Pop Warner league's Web site as a 2010 Pee Wee team coach.
Ayala is due back in Whittier Superior Court Department 1 at 8:30 a.m. March 24, Robison said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff's Special Victims Bureau at 866-247-5887.
No comments:
Post a Comment